Stimuleringsfonds

In the first grant period of 2025 of the Architecture Grant Scheme, 12 projects were selected for support. Coordinator Ibrahim Alaoui Chrifi reflects on the round.

5 June 2025

general impression

We see a variety of project forms and themes in the selection. A relatively large number of applications concerned a publication, ranging from the manuscript The Adaptable Apartment Manual by STAR strategies + architecture to a series on sustainable design and education by the journal OASE. There were also several applications for public programmes, such as The Dépendance Public Talks and architecture expeditions by Parfum de BoemBoem. In some research projects, non-humans are given a central role, such as in The City of Birds Book by Studio Ossidiana.

The strong focus on climate adaptation and sustainable development is striking. A project by Studio Audal explores the connection between biodiversity and agriculture, while ACT: Architectural Attitudes In A Regenerative Society by Studio Doppler presents architects’ attitudes towards circular building in a playful way. International research also plays an important role. The programme The Anti-City Guide by Maurice Hermans compares several ‘shrinking cities’, and the special by magazine ‘scape focuses on the future of European city parks.

selection

In addition, some notable projects are:

Negotiating Boundaries – Studio Lotek
Studio Lotek explores how architecture can integrate marine life into design. Central to this is the use of Seacrete, a new innovative material made from shells and seaweed. Embracing natural processes such as erosion creates architectural structures that combine human functions with habitats for marine biodiversity. The project includes materials research and experiments in saltwater basins by NIOZ, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. The process will be documented through photos, videos and a publication. Negotiating Boundaries offers a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials and contributes to solutions for sea level rise and coastal erosion.

Cups of Memory – Studio L A
Arna Mačkić and Aida Šehović reinterpret how the Srebrenica genocide is commemorated in the Netherlands. The project has three components: the Permanent Monument where individuals become temporary custodians of traditional Bosnian coffee cups, the Digital Archive where stories are preserved, and the Monuments Lab for workshops and dialogue. By placing Bosnian-Dutch survivors, relatives and witnesses at the centre, the memory remains mobile and alive. Cups of Memory offers a participatory and personal way of remembering as an alternative to the slow, exclusionary approach of permanent monuments. The aim is to bridge divides and reshape public memory.

Inclusieve strategieën voor vermindering van hittestress in stedelijke gebieden – Studio Brakenhoff
For the project Inclusieve strategieën voor vermindering van hittestress in stedelijke gebieden (Inclusive strategies for reducing heat stress in urban areas), Studio Brakenhoff investigates new solutions for urban heat. Using examples in Santiago (Chile) and Tokyo (Japan), practical measures are drawn up for vulnerable neighbourhoods in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The aim is to achieve accessible and affordable strategies. The project will produce a handbook with practical guidelines, policy documents and an exhibition with prototypes and scale models.

numbers

For the first time since the introduction of the new way of working for the 2025-2028 policy period, this grant scheme has been carried out in two phases. In the first phase, 54 summary applications were submitted. The predetermined number of fifty applications was allowed to be supplemented with a detailed project plan, budget, timeline and communication plan. After a check on formal criteria and completeness, 42 applications were then assessed by the advisory committee. The available budget in this round was €385,000. Because the total requested amount of the positively assessed applications was higher than the available budget, prioritisation was applied. Twelve of the 24 positively assessed projects will receive subsidies.

follow-up

The next grant period, the third and final round of 2025, will be open from 20 August at 15:00, until 28 August 2025 at 16:00. Would you like to submit an application in this round? Take a look at the subsidy page of the grant scheme to prepare effectively.